Andrew Bridgen is seeking to topple Prime Minister Theresa May over her plan for Brexit.

The North West Leicestershire Tory MP said he has no confidence in the Prime Minister and wants to trigger a Conservative leadership contest.

Mr Bridgen, a supporter of a hard Brexit for the UK, has written to the 1922 Committee - a group of backbench Conservative MPs which plays a key role in deciding the Tory leadership – warning the party will be punished at the polls if it follows Mrs May’s current path to exiting the EU.

“All we have asked from the Prime Minister is that she sticks to what she has promised on repeated occasions when she declared that ‘Brexit means Brexit’ and pledged to take back control of our money borders and laws.

Andrew Bridgen's letter about Brexit and the Prime Minister

“But it now appears those promises are all a pretence and a charade intended to dupe the electorate which is an insult to their intelligence.

“Therefore, in the interests of our country and the future of the Conservative Party, I feel the time has come for a new leader as so I am writing this letter to inform you I have no confidence in the Prime Minister.”

The Mercury has contacted Mr Bridgen for comment.

Previous challenge to David Cameron

Mrs May is the second Tory Prime Minister Mr Bridgen has challenged.

Prime Minister Theresa May (Image: Daniel Leal-Olivas /PA Wire)

In 2013 he wrote to the 1922 Committee to call for a vote of no confidence in David Cameron.

At the time he said: “I have come to the view that although many of our policies are right, whether on welfare reform or reducing the deficit, there is a credibility problem with the current leader,” he said.

“By pressing ahead with gay marriage and delaying a promise on an EU referendum until he was forced to do so, Mr Cameron has fuelled the rise of UKIP.

"We have created our own nemesis.”

He later withdrew his letter which failed to attract the support of enough colleagues to trigger a vote.